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As we reach the landmark of the end of our 30th year, we at Childline have been reflecting on what makes children reach out to us. This year we have made 300,000 counselling contacts with young people, more than any other organisation in Britain, and we have noticed a trend that makes me more worried about our young people than at any time since Childline began. In the last 12 months we have heard from more suicidal children than ever before.

When we opened the phone lines in October 1986, we were inundated with calls. Thanks to the anonymity of the phone line, young people felt safe to ask for help, and the vast majority of calls were about physical and sexual abuse. From the very start we heard...